Adults with insomnia in this study who drank 8 oz. of tart cherry juice twice a day slept an hour and a half longer. They also reported having better sleep quality than the group that didn’t drink any.

Tart cherry juice is becoming popular with athletes as well for a recovery drink. This study found athletes who drank it were able to recover faster.

Better recovery means better results.

Almond Butter

One of my favorite snacks to have before bed is a couple spoonfuls of almond butter.

It’s higher good fat content will leave you feeling full so you can sleep better without any of the hunger pains.

Almond butter is also a good source of melatonin. We already talked about how effective melatonin is for helping you fall asleep, and almond butter is awesome for it.

Almond butter contains a good amount of magnesium. Magnesium has been found to reduce inflammation and improve sleep quality.

Even this study found rats fed almond extract were able to sleep longer and more deeply than those without it.

Try eating a couple spoonfuls of almond butter next time you’re about to go to sleep.

Avocados

If you’re having trouble sleeping then you might want to try eating a little bit of avocado before bed.

Avocados have four powerful ingredients to help you fall asleep faster:

magnesium

omega-3 fatty acids

folate

tryptophan

Avocados are high in magnesium with 58 mg which equates to about 15% your daily needs.

They’re also rather high in tryptophan, which is a natural precursor to melatonin production.

Deficiency in folate has been linked to depression and mood disorders which can lead to insomnia.

Avocados are one of my favorite mood-boosting foods that are delicious and fantastic before bed.

Milk

When I was a little kid I remember my Grandma would make me a warm glass of milk before bed.

I would sleep like a baby all night.

The reason milk helps you fall asleep faster is it contains tryptophan.

As we age our production of melatonin decreases. This can have a negative impact on our sleep quality.

This study found milk helped to improve sleep quality in the elderly when combined with melatonin.

Another study found milk combined with exercise improved the quality of sleep of the participants.

But if you have an intolerance to milk then it’s best to stay away. I always try to drink a whole fat milk from grass-fed cows.